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Monarch Airlines Official BlogTue, 03 Mar 2015 17:14:48 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0Check out our 360-degree tour of the slopeshttp://blog.monarch.co.uk/check-out-our-360-degree-tour-of-the-slopes/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/check-out-our-360-degree-tour-of-the-slopes/#commentsThu, 22 Jan 2015 11:59:27 +0000http://blog.monarch.co.uk/?p=7900Thinking about a snowy holiday? Wish you were there right now? Then you need to check out the brand new Monarch Mountain, the very first 360-degree virtual reality guide to the slopes.

To navigate, simply tilt and click on the different icons to find out information on European ski resorts, flights and exclusive deals. Plus, there are great video tips from the Ski Club of Great Britain so you can brush up on in-the-know tricks such as how to carry your skis, how to fit boots and how to choose goggles and gloves.

Monarch Mountain also helps you choose the best resort for you. Click on each Monarch destination to find quick fact files with information on how long it takes to get to the slope from the nearest airport, the highest lift station, total number of pistes and up-to-date airfares. Destinations include Innsbruck, Salzburg, Turin, Friedrichshafen, Munich, Grenoble and Barcelona.

Next, pop into the Deals Cabin to find special discounts, packages and offers, then browse content from our friends at Ski Club Great Britain, Les 3 Vallées, Skiset, Rock Insurance, Moto Rack, The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead and Snow+Rock.

Wait, that’s not all! To celebrate the launch of this new virtual reality guide, Monarch have organised a very special competition. Take a 360-degree look around Monarch Mountain and see if you can spot three hidden items – you could win up to £3,800 worth of prizes including ski lessons, lift passes, return flights and more!

Try it out for yourself now. No need to grab the winter woollies just yet – the snow is waiting for you on Monarch Mountain!

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/check-out-our-360-degree-tour-of-the-slopes/feed/0Mother’s Day Getaways: Spring Trips for the Familyhttp://blog.monarch.co.uk/mothers-day-getaways-spring-trips-for-the-family/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/mothers-day-getaways-spring-trips-for-the-family/#commentsFri, 28 Mar 2014 15:50:25 +0000http://dev-monarch.wp-sites.co.uk/?p=4043Mother’s Day: that one designated day a year when you recognise the amazing women in your life. You bring them breakfast in bed, take the chores off their plate, and at least for the day, you acknowledge they’re always right, even if they’re not!

This year, why not extend the celebration with a Mother’s Day getaway the whole family can get on board with? (And yes, we did intend that pun.) With great food, rich local culture and history, and tons of sunshine, here are some of the best spring getaways for the whole family to enjoy.

Admiring art in Barcelona

Barcelona might be famous for its beaches, but there’s plenty more to the city than sun and surf. Celebrated artists such as Pablo Picasso and Antoni Gaudí once called Barcelona home, and the Spanish capital is great way to introduce the family to art and architecture in a fun way.

Gaudí’s undulating influence is everywhere – most noticeably at the Sagrada Familia, a huge unfinished church and one of the city’s most renowned attractions. Parc Guell, another Gaudí creation, offers a space for kids to run around the grassy hills while parents relax along the undulating, mosaic-tiled benches.

For a more academic foray into Barcelona’s art scene, visit the Museu Picasso, a museum dedicated to Picasso, with more than 3,500 works of art.

Resurrecting history in Rome

A Roman holiday is the perfect way to get the family excited about history. Wandering through the Roman Forum will show them exactly how the Romans lived, while a session at the Roman Gladiator School, complete with sword-fighting techniques and traditional Gladiator dress, will take them straight back to the Roman era!

Once you’re done with the Colosseum, Gladiator certificates in hand, head to the picturesque Borghese Gardens and hire semi-motorised scooters designed especially for families. Pack a picnic and let the kids burn off that excess energy, while you relax in the shade with a cheeky glass (or two) of Pinot Grigio.

Lounging beachside in Tenerife

Nothing quite beats a beach holiday, and Tenerife is just the ticket. In addition to the requisite white sands, clear turquoise waters and luxurious resorts, Tenerife promises days of fun at Siam Park, one of the most spectacular water parks in Europe. From riding the adrenaline-pumping Dragon and Vulcano slides to surfing the largest man-made waves at the Wave Palace to cruising along Mai Thai River, the world’s longest lazy river attraction, the whole family will have a smashing (or splashing – corny, we know) time.

Skiing the slopes in Grenoble

If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to winter, take the family to the French Alps for a last hurrah on the slopes. Most of the crowds will be heading towards the sunshine so you won’t have haphazard skiers flying across your path, but the Alps still offer great snow into April with the added bonus of warmer temperatures!

It doesn’t have to be all about the snow, however – take a break at La Pierre Chaude in Chamrousse: it’s one of the best traditional tartiflette restaurants in the Alps.

Taste the flavours in Goa

India is full of traditional dishes, colourful spices and delicious flavours that you simply have to experience. While a plate of hot curry may not be to everyone’s taste, there are plenty of other local delicacies to try. In addition to beautiful beaches, perfectly preserved history, and incredible jungle wildlife, Goa, on the west coast of India, uniquely blends Indian and Portuguese culture and cuisine – stop by one of the beach shacks for a Goan fish curry, or head to Chef Fernando’s Nostalgia for authentic dishes you won’t find anywhere else.

So, go ahead and spoil Mum (and the rest of the tribe) with an impromptu family getaway – you’ll get the brownie points and the holiday!

]]>http://blog.monarch.co.uk/mothers-day-getaways-spring-trips-for-the-family/feed/0Skiing the great unknown – Les Contamineshttp://blog.monarch.co.uk/skiing-the-great-unknown-les-contamines/
http://blog.monarch.co.uk/skiing-the-great-unknown-les-contamines/#commentsFri, 15 Mar 2013 19:13:14 +0000http://dev-monarch.wp-sites.co.uk/?p=2714Guest post by written by Rob Crabtree of Ski Club of Great Britain

So you’re planning a winter ski holiday and itching to make those first few turns. If you’ve decided on France, you’ve made a great decision. But with so many great resorts to choose from, the question is where to go?

I’ve skied in many of the larger French resorts before and they’re great; lots of varied terrain, fast lifts, excellent accommodation and, on the whole, more snow than you can throw a stick at. For me, this has been the only route to go down to guarantee a great week skiing and, with ski juggernauts such as The 3 Valleys and Espace Killy all within easy reach, it can be very easy to miss some of the lesser known resorts. As such, I’ve never been brave enough to break the mould and try something different, so when I was given the chance to visit a little known resort, just around the corner from the old stalwarts, I was pretty excited.

Only 2.5 hours from Grenoble, under the watchful eye of the Mont Blanc, the beautiful and unspoilt alpine ski resort of Les Contamines Montjoie shows that you really don’t need hundreds of miles of piste to be a great winter holiday destination. Centred around a traditional Haute-Savoie village, the resort caters well for skiers of all abilities. Boasting over 120km of piste in the local area and over 450km in the ‘Evasion Mont Blanc’ area means even the most advanced skier won’t be disappointed. With beginner slopes at all levels, this is a great resort for families and means learners aren’t necessarily banished to the bottom of the resort. As well as alpine piste, there are extensive cross-country trails and walking paths.

For such as small resort, I was surprised to experience such an efficient lift system, with a mixture of newer high-speed detachable and fixed chairlifts. With the majority of terrain north and east facing, the mountain is spared much of the day’s direct sun and the snow conditions were excellent. Due to its close proximity to Mont Blanc, the local weather also works in its favour with temperatures regularly 2 or 3 degrees cooler than other resorts. On the day we arrived it was in the process of snowing 50cm of lovely fresh powder and when the clouds cleared for our first days skiing, it was a beautiful bluebird day.

The views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding valleys were stunning and offered the perfect backdrop to a morning of cruising smooth wide-open runs. When it came to lunchtime, we weren’t stuck for somewhere good to eat and headed to one of a number of traditional mountain refuge-style restaurants serving wonderful Savoyard food. La Buche Croisee looks like a fairly unassuming place from the outside, but once through the low door, diners are seated on multiple levels enjoying a great atmosphere and a generous helping of home-cooked food.

One thing you won’t find here are any tour operators. Accommodation in the village is mostly privately owned apartments and, although there are a handful of small hotels and B&Bs, like the beautiful Chalet Chovettaz where we were staying, the majority of visitors either stay in their own chalet or one booked through the local tourist office. The advantage of this is that the village has stayed very much unspoilt with a welcomed lack of high-rise buildings. This does however mean everything is quite spread out and, although there is a free shuttle bus, having a car in resort was an advantage. What you lack in convenience however you very much gain in peace and quiet. When the last lift has closed the only thing you’re likely to hear is the gentle running water from the river ‘Bon Nant’.

Après ski wasn’t all feet up and roaring log fires though as we had a go at what Les Contamines has to offer after dark. Now I’m usually one for skiing hard and fast all day and then sinking into a comfy chair for a couple of Vin Chaud. However it was back into full ski gear and out into the dark for a ‘quick’ trek up to a mountain restaurant for dinner. Having seen people snow shoeing before I was rather sceptical about whether i would actually enjoy it. But…it was great. A couple of hours walking up hill through deep untouched fields of snow certainly built up an appetite. Most of the group quickly removed jackets, gloves and hats in an attempt to cool down. It was minus 6 but we were boiling! If you’re looking for something even more strenuous however, Ice climbing at night is really fantastic. Picture the scene…a beautiful snowy valley with a stream gently running past, light snow falling and a natural wall of ice, floodlit for our enjoyment. The local guide provided the necessary kit; crampons, axes, harness and ropes and away we went. Great fun and a wonderful experience!

I’ll be honest; I was surprised at just how much I loved the place. For such a small and unassuming resort, it has plenty to offer even the most particular guest; great skiing, warm hospitality and fantastic food. With tree-lined runs for low light days and high wide-open runs for blue bird days, quite piste and no lift queues, fantastic scenery and authentic alpine charm, Les Contamines really is a great place to spend a few days on skis. If skiing isn’t for you, then there are extensive walking paths, snow-shoeing trails and some great ‘alternative’ après.

All of this within a few hours of Grenoble and all without breaking the bank. Currently the great unknown, but for how long?

Have you visited Les Contamines? How did you find it? Tell us in the comments below

We are very proud to announce that number one British woman skier, Chemmy Alcott, is the the brand ambassador for Monarchs new ski routes which launch this winter. Chemmy will support and promote our eleven new ski routes for winter 2012/13.

The new routes provide easy access to some of Europe’s best winter ski resorts via Grenoble airport in France; Friedrichshafen and Munich airports in Germany and Innsbruck in Austria.

Chemmy is making her return to the slopes following an accident in Canada whilst practicing for the World Cup event in 2010. She is currently training for the forthcoming World Championships in Schladming.

Our Managing Director Kevin George has said he was proud for Monarch to be associated with Chemmy and hoped she would prove to be an inspiration to skiers of all levels.

“As Britain’s leading skier, we are proud to have Chemmy Alcott associated with Monarch as we launch our new scheduled ski routes for this winter. Chemmy will inspire both experienced and novice skiers to take to the slopes,” he said.

Chemmy is also excited to be brand ambassador for the airline.

“Having fought so hard to come back to the sport I love, I will be forever thankful to Monarch for their support and backing to help me achieve my dream of British Winter glory for the Winter Olympics in Sochi 2014,” she said.

The relationship between Chemmy Alcott and Monarch will see her wearing our brand in all her competition and practice sessions. We hope Chemmy will become a familiar face to our customers, and readers of this blog, through a programme of promotional activities this winter.

Ever since the comedian David Walliams swam 140 miles of the Thames for Sport Relief, interest in wild swimming has rocketed in the UK. So much so that a new by-law has just been passed, banning Thames swimming without permission!

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m not about to jump in the Thames. I’ve something much more exotic in mind – as you can see from my hit list of destinations for wild swims abroad – solo or with the family.

1. Sea lagoon, Canary Islands

Why not go wild in the sea, especially if you’ve got keen young swimmers in tow? On Tenerife, the beautifully clean and clear lagoon off the coast of Puerto de Santiago (itself a family-friendly resort) is teeming with tropical fish and peppered with small islands – ripe to explore!

Best for: families with adventurous swimmers aged 10+

2. Mountain lake, French Alps

A site that’s calm and not too wild – like lakeside Angon Plage, Annecy (northeast of Grenoble), with its lifeguards, pontoons and café – is perfect for little ones. If the water’s not as warm as they’re used to in a pool, wetsuits are a good idea.

Best for: families with small children

3. Waterfalls, Corsica

Rugged Corsica has the potential to wow teenagers and get them into the swim. Try Gorges du Tavignano, where twin waterfalls pour into a huge pool, or the deep marble bowls and glittering green water of Cascades de Purcaraccia.

Best for: families with teenagers

4. Inland lake, Croatia
At the heart of Mljet Island – an easy day-trip from Dubrovnik by ferry – there’s a very special lake set in lush pine forest. It’s secluded, clear and tranquil, and at its centre is a picture-perfect medieval monastery – a great spot for a romantic seafood lunch.

Best for: romantic wild swims for lovers

5. Hot springs, Iceland
Even in winter, Iceland’s natural hot springs are great for wild bathing in deliciously steaming, soothing water. The Hveravellir geothermal area is a nature reserve, and its sky-blue pool is surrounded by stunning scenery.

Best for: relaxing wild swims year-round

Closer to home

If you’d like to try wild swimming before you fly, check out wildswim.com and wildswimming.co.uk for some of the best natural swim destinations in the UK. Alternatively, if you know of anywhere great you’d like to share, do let us know!